And do not marry mushrikaat women until they believe. And a believing slave woman is better than a mushrikah, even though she might please you. And do not marry mushrik men [to your women] until they believe. And a believing slave is better than a mushrik , even though he might please you. They invite to the Fire, but Allah invites to Paradise and to forgiveness, by His permission. And He makes His verses clear to the people in order that they may remember. [2:221]

“And do not marry “mushrikaat [disbelievers]” women who are persisting upon their shirk “until they believe” because the female believer, even if she if is much uglier, is better than the mushrikah, even if she is much more beautiful. And this applies generally to all disbelieving women, and is stipulated by the ayah in surah al-Maa’idah, which gives the permission to marry the women of the People of the Book as Allah said, “and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture”. [5:5]

Then Allah mentions the wisdom in the prohibition of marrying Muslim men or women to those who would oppose them in the deen, so He said, “those invite to the Fire” – meaning, in their words and their deeds and their very conditions, so mixing with them is a great risk to you, and the risk is not merely a danger in the dunya, rather it is an everlasting sorrow.

And the benefit from explanation of the ayah is the prohibition of mixing with every mushrik and innovator, because if it is not allowed to marry even while there are many benefits in that, then open mixing is first door [i.e. to be closed so that one thing does not lead to another], and specifically, mixing in which a mushrik or the likes of him is given authority over a Muslim, such as a service role, etc.

“And Allah calls you to Paradise and forgiveness” – meaning: He calls His slaves to the attainment of Paradise and forgiveness, and the effects of which include repelling punishment, and that is by calling them to righteous good deeds, which are causes for repelling punishment; and sincere repentance; and beneficial knowledge; and righteous good deeds.

“And He makes His verses clear” – meaning his judgements and their wisdom “to the people in order that they might remember” for it is obligatory for them that they remember so that they don’t forget, and to know so that they aren’t ignorant, and to obey so that they don’t perish.